How to Use the STAR Method to Ace Your Next Job Interview

When you’re interviewing for a job, you’re speaking to humans with short attention spans. If you want to get hired, you can’t be the person who rambled on and on.

The only thing they’ll remember about you is that they wanted you to quit talking.

So what can you do instead?

Have a plan! You won’t know exactly what they’ll ask, but you can use a framework to make sure you actually answer their questions.

What is the STAR Method?

One popular framework is the ⭐️ STAR Method:

📌 SITUATION – Give me some context
📌 TASK – What were you trying to do
📌 ACTION – What DID you do
📌 RESULT – How did it end

Example of a STAR Method answer

Let’s say the interviewer asks you: “Tell me about a time you had to deliver on multiple competing priorities”

👀 SITUATION:
When I was a PM at XYZ Agency, 3 of my most important clients wanted to launch their app on the SAME DAY; but they all shared the same dev team…

🛠 TASK:
Because of team capacity, I wasn’t sure we would be able to launch all 3 apps on the same day, so I had to figure out how to prioritize between 3 PAYING clients while providing the level of service that they expected (and were paying for)

🎬 ACTION:
I asked my team for help. We broke down all of the tasks needed & figured out what we could do ahead of time. After we narrowed down the list & only had the tasks necessary for launch day, we came up with a priority system based on technology, client relationship & time to complete task. We assigned based on which team member was best at completing each task & I spoke to each client & staggered the launch TIMES so that we would be set to launch on the same day but at different times. We also established who would be a backup per task so that if we ran into any issues, the original team member could keep working to solve the issue & the backup would pick up the next task.

🏆 RESULT:
We were able to launch all 3 apps successfully with minor hiccups. Because the entire team was on the same page about the priorities. And because we had backups in place, we were able to follow the plan & adjust as things came up. Clients were happy, team wasn’t overly stressed & we delivered on time and on budget.

This is why I like the STAR Method. Simple, easy to remember & to the point. So the next time you have an interview & they ask you a situational question, use the STAR Method. Trust me, you’ll come off as knowledgeable & you’ll be in a better position to negotiate more 💰💰

Conclusion

The STAR Method is a powerful tool that can help you ace your next job interview. By using the STAR Method, you can provide clear, concise, and informative answers to behavioral interview questions. This will demonstrate to the interviewer that you have the skills and experience they are looking for, and that you are confident in your ability to do the job.

In addition to using the STAR Method, it is also important to practice your answers in advance. This will help you to deliver your answers smoothly and confidently. You should also be prepared to answer follow-up questions.

By following these tips, you can use the STAR Method to ace your next job interview and get the job you want.